Introducing THE PAINT
A space to explore two things in life that bring me joy: Sports and Art.
In 2019, Sports Illustrated sent me on assignment to follow NBA center Willie Cauley-Stein and art liaison Gardy St. Fleur around an Andy Warhol exhibit at The Whitney Museum of American Art and The Brant Foundation Center in New York City.
It is still my favorite story I’ve ever written.
I remember returning home to my Harlem apartment well after midnight and feeling deliriously inspired as I spent the next several hours writing. It is one of those pieces where I felt like I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing.
Since then, my relationship with art has deepened. I don’t claim to be an expert by any means, but consuming art (read: wandering aimlessly around art galleries and staring in awe at pieces) is one of my favorite hobbies and easily the most grounding.
There is more overlap between the fine art and sports worlds — from how they express their creativity to the social spaces they occupy — than many realize. Exploring that intersection, which feels underserved outside of “Art But Make It Sports,” is the intent of this vertical. Be warned, though: There will be stories housed here where the reporting begins with the intent of focusing on that intersection, but ends up producing a story unrelated to one or the other. Happy accidents, as one might call those.
Thank you for following along.
And thank you to all of the artists who welcome a conversation or two with me.